225) saw quite a bit of playing time last season and should
ease any growing pains in the trenches. Tight end Jose Delgado is an effective blocker with good hands and could be key
to the Bearcats offensive success. The defense will be young
as well but linebacker Clayten Webb and defensive end Jose
Delgado are mainstays on that side of the ball and will provide
a good core to rebuild around.

THE WORD: The Bulldogs are hoping to better the program in
2014 after winning a combined t wo games over the past t wo
years. Much of that record was due to the youth that was
starting in key positions but Coach Gardner’s squad is finally
in to their senior and junior seasons and that should equate
to more wins. Returning quarterback Braxton Iden ( 6’0,
170) had an excellent 2013 season where he earned 1st
Team All-District honors. Iden will have a versatile weapon
at his disposal in Christian Van Wey who has the speed and
quickness to be a threat anywhere on the field, especially
in the slot. The offensive line will be anchored by All-District
guard Zak Walton and Joseph Melendez. Braxton Iden will
lead the defense from his safety position and will have a very
good linebacker playing in front of him in Joseph Melendez.

THE WORD: The Broncos cruised to an undefeated district
title and made a run to the regional playoffs last season.
Sonora hopes to build on that experience with some key
players returning. Senior Elijah Cross is one of 10 returning all-district picks from a year ago. Cross was all-district
at fullback, where he ran for 929 yards and at defensive
tackle, where he made 120 tackles. Senior tight end Andres
Acevedo caught 15 passes for 276 yards while also making
73 tackles as a linebacker as a junior. Acevedo could be in
the mix to for starting quarterback after serving as a backup
to recently graduated signal-caller Michael Rollert. Senior
Ethan Patlan was first-team all-district at both guard and
defensive tackle. The Broncos were stellar on offense last
year, putting up 36. 7 points per game on their run to the
third round. The Broncos have the talent and experience to
compete for a district title and another deep run in 2014.

THE WORD: After a run to the area playoffs, the Golden
Cranes face a rebuilding year with four returning starters on
both sides of the ball. Crane is willing to go young and looks
to a bright freshman class to fill holes and build to the future.
Freshmen running backs Rafael Meza and Cris Martinez are
expected to see playing time at both running back and running back in their first season on campus. Freshman quarterback and safety Kolton Sena help contribute as well as he
helped lead the eighth grade team to an 8-1 record last year.
Returning from last year’s squad is junior offensive linemen
Ramon Flores and James Phillips, who were both all-district
picks last year. Senior kicker Oscar Murguia was all-district
last year and turned in seven touchbacks last year on kickoffs. Quarterback Jake Morgan served as a backup the last
two seasons and Coach Naldo Esparza is optimistic that he
is ready to lead the team.

THE WORD: The Bucks will have a new man under center for
the first time in four years when they hit the gridiron this
fall. Gone to graduation is four-year starter Evan Moore,
who passed for 1,700 yards and ran for 1, 140 last year.

Sophomore quarterback Isaac Gallego will likely be theperson to replace Moore while wide receiver Daniel Rojobacked him up a year ago and is an option. Rojo is the team’top returning receiver with 335 yards on 30 catches lastyear. Gallego made a name for himself as a freshman ondefense, he is the team’s top returning tackler with 68 as asafety. The Bucks have to make over their entire backfieldand Justin Stone and Aaron Ontiveroz will get carries at therunning back position. Despite big holes to fill, Alpine hassome bright prospects on the horizon and should be in theplayoff picture this fall.

THE WORD: The Eagles have to replace their top rusher and
top passer from a team that went unbeaten through the
regular season before meeting its match in the Regional
Semi-Finals. The Eagles must now jump from 1A Division II
to 3A Division II, so the learning curve will be steep. Running
back Brandon Garcia is gone to graduation after running for
1,479 yards last year. Junior Toby Timms was second on the
team with 496 yards rushing last year and will see a larger
role this year. Senior Jeremy Sumners steps in as starter at
quarterback. Sumner was a wide receiver as a junior a year
ago. Senior linebacker Damacio Reyes was third on the team
last year with 67 total tackles. Timms had 64 tackles as a
linebacker in 2013. The Eagles were stingy on defense during their 10-1 last year, allowing 13. 6 points per game. While
TLC has gaping holes to fill in its offensive backfield, they
have capable players to fill them. A perfect regular season
might be tough to repeat, but expect the Eagles to be in the
playoff conversation.

BIG LAKE REAGAN COUNTY OWLSENROLLMENT: 254 ( 5)

2013 RECORD: 3-7

THE COACH: Ken Campbell

THE PLAYERS: Jaime Carrasco (Sr., RB), Freddy Rocha (Sr., RB),
Juan Sanchez (Jr., DB), Mason Baggett (Sr., QB), L.J. DeLeon
(So. DB), Julian Perez (Sr., WR), Juan Lopez (Sr., LB), Baylee
Barton (Jr., OL), Josh Goodloe (Sr., OL), Jose Rico (Sr., DL)
THE WORD: Senior running backs Jaime Carrasco and Freddy
Rocha return for the Owls after rushing for more than 1,300
combined yards a year ago – Carrasco had 746 and Rocha
had 590. The Owls are hoping the duo can help lead them
to the playoffs after falling short in 2013. The team returns
a slew of playmakers including quarterback Mason Baggett,
who passed for 450 yards a year ago, and junior athlete
Juan Sanchez, who made 61 tackles and had 282 yards
rushing and 136 receiving. The Owls will be led on defense
by a strong group of defensive backs. The secondary, which
includes Sanchez, L.J. DeLeon and Julian Perez, can tackle
as well as it covers. Senior offensive lineman Josh Goodloe
has good size at 6-1, 240 and will anchor the Owls’ offensive
line. Look for the Owls to take a step forward this fall and
compete for a playoff spot.

THE WORD: Things didn’t go the Eagles way last season as
they went winless throughout the season. While the Eagles
struggled last year, there is reason to be optimistic at Grape
Creek with a bevy of experienced starters returning. Senior
quarterback Nathan Wiedebusch threw for 538 yards and
eight touchdowns as a junior last season. Sophomore running back Terayce Preston made a name for himself as
a freshman last year, running for 365 yards and a pair of
touchdowns. The Eagles have to replace recently graduated
Robert Aly, who led the team with 618 yards last year, but
have senior Robert Burow returning. Burow had 181 yards
receiving last season. The Eagles have to get better on the
defensive side of the ball if they want to be competitive after
allowing 55. 4 points per game a year ago. The Eagles are
good in some places but with young depth, they might be a
couple of years from being playoff level competitive.

THE WORD: Gunter was a last-second touchdown from joiningdistrict mates Leonard and S&S in the region semifinals andwith the district returning almost intact, the Tigers knownthere will be a battle for the top spot once again. AustenGressett took over at quarterback as a junior and will onceagainst team with Garrett Hunter, who ran for 1,547 yardsand 16 touchdowns. The production of two-way standoutRhett Taylor needs to be replaced. Hadley Johnson earnedall-district honors at tight end. The offensive line will be ledby Nate Yansky and Caleb Yates. Spencer Lashley jumpedinto the mix as a junior and was the district Defensive New-comer of the Year for his play at defensive end and providesa strong bookend with Troy Carrigan. Kevin Teems andDanny Hernandez are back at linebacker. Gunter does haveholes to fill in the secondary. Year in and year out Gunterfinds itself in the mix for the district crown and this seasonwill be no exception.

THE WORD: 2013 was a season of firsts for S&S, including a
district title and an undefeated regular season. The Rams had
won just one playoff game (1998) before winning a pair last
year and suffering its only loss to district rival Leonard in the
region semifinals. Building on such a monumental season will
take overcoming some key losses to graduation — none bigger
than Willie Winborne, who ran for 2,404 yards and 30 touchdowns and led the team in tackles at linebacker. Wyatt Maher
will slide into the main ball-carrying role and Drew Dutton
returns as the top receiving threat but there will be a change at
quarterback to contend with as well. The offensive line returns
almost entirely intact with Dillon Chambers, Clay Sammons
and Klayton Hedges leading the way. Defensively Casey Welch
made an impact off the edge and while Rams have to find some
linebackers, Clark Sulivant and Ben Franklin have experience
at the position. Lane Lancaster and Cameron Prewitt are back
in the secondary.

THE WORD: Leonard is not only coming off its first playoff
victory since 1986, the Tigers went on an extended post-season run that ended in the state semifinals for the first
time in school history despite a third-place finish in the
district standings. Looking to maintain that momentum
will take some doing because of key losses to graduation.
Ryan Nixon, who saw time at all of the skill positions as a
sophomore, will take over full-time at quarterback. Leonard
has some strong contributors back at receiver but has a hole
in the backfield due to the loss of all-state talent Solomon Titus. Dylan Pelton and Tristan Farber return on the offensive
line. The Tigers see linebacker and their line as positions
of strength while working in some new faces on defense,
including almost the entire secondary. If Leonard can hold
up in the back end and get strong efforts again from the
likes of Pelton, Dylan Monck and Justin Baker, a return trip
the playoffs should be in store.

THE WORD: Howe is shifting divisions in the latest realignment and the Bulldogs are hoping that will get them back to
the playoffs for the first time since winning the district title
in 2010. There will be a chance to be in the mix for the last
postseason spot but their sights are set a little higher. Evan
Bailey returns at quarterback after winning the job before
2013. The junior will once again team in the backfield with
Anthony Hawthorne, who fell just short of the 1,000-yard
plateau. Tyler Gresham was the top receiver last season as
a freshman. The starters on the offensive line include Keifer
Rogers and William Brogdon. Joseph Hawthorne leads the
way up front defensively while Ty Portman is back at linebacker and Joaquin Lopez is a playmaker in the secondary.
There are definitely position battles to be found on the unit
after another rough season but if the Bulldogs can shore up
a few areas, the playoffs might be closer than they think.

THE WORD: A year after making the playoffs, Tom Bean
had a coaching change and came up one game from a
return to the position. The Tomcats will be right there
in a battle that will likely go down to the final week of
the season to decide their fate. Hunter Book moved to